It was a hot morning in July when a cab drew up at the pillars, and Gilbert Lloyd jumped out, paid the driver, and made his way into the Inn. The exhalations from the barrows of the fried-fish vendors were potent23, and the change to the faint, sickly perfume of the West-Indian pine-apple, tastefully arranged in slices on an open barrow which blocked the immediate24 thoroughfare, was scarcely refreshing25. Perhaps in July the second-hand26 garments, even the uniforms, which the Jewish gentlemen who deal in such trophies27 hang up at the entrances of their warehouses28, are a thought stronger in flavour than in the winter; and a fifth-hand portmanteau, which has seen a great deal of service under various owners, is apt, under the influence of the sun, to suggest its presence. But Gilbert Lloyd paid no heed29 to anything of this kind; he had roughed it too long to care for what came between the wind and his nobility; not being a literary photographer on the lookout30 for "character," he paid no attention to any of the surroundings, but went straight on, making his way through the jostling crowd until he arrived at a door, on the posts of which was painted "Gammidge's Private-Inquiry31 Office, ground-floor." A farther reference to the right-hand door of the first-floor discovered a still more elaborate placard, announcing that "Nichs. Gammidge, many years in the detective police, undertook inquiries32 of a private and confidential33 nature; agents all over the Continent; strictest secrecy34 observed; divorce cases particularly attended to; ring right-hand bell; and no connection with foreign impostors trading on N.G.'s new invention."
Gilbert Lloyd with some difficulty--for in the dingy35 passage there was but little light even on that bright summer morning--read this description, and in obedience36 to its suggestion pulled the right-hand bell. The sound of the bell, vibrating loudly, apparently37 had the effect of putting a sudden stop to a muttered conversation of a groaning38 character, which had been dimly audible; the door was opened by a spring from the inside, and Gilbert entered. He found himself in a low-ceilinged dirty room, with no other furniture than a couple of chairs and a very rickety deal table. The windows were covered more than half-way up with blinds improvised40 out of old newspapers; a clock with one hand was on the wall; an almanac, much ink-scored and pin-marked, stood on the mantel-shelf; and a limp map of Great Britain, evidently torn out of an ancient Bradshaw, was pinned behind the door. At first, on entering, Gilbert Lloyd thought himself the sole occupant of the room; but when his eyes had become accustomed to the partial darkness, he discovered someone rubbing himself against the wall at the opposite end of the room, and apparently trying to squeeze himself through into the next house. A little hard looking at and careful study made him out a very thin, small, white-faced young man, with hollow cheeks, a sharp face, and a keen restless eye. As Gilbert's glance fell on him, or rather, as he seemed to feel it fall on him, he shook himself with an odd restless motion, as though to endeavour to get rid of some spell of fascination41, but evidently desired to keep as much as possible in the background. The groaning, smothered42 conversation meanwhile had recommenced in another quarter, and Gilbert, looking round, noticed a door evidently leading into an inner room.
The white-faced young man gave a sudden start, as though a pin had been run into him, but never spoke44.
"Mr. Gammidge's office--is this Mr. Gammidge's office?" repeated Gilbert.
"I--I believe so," said the white-faced young man, taken aback by the sharpness of the key in which the inquiry was made. "I have no reason to think it's not."
"Where is Mr. Gammidge?"
"Not in!" Wonderfully sharp and pert came this reply; constant lying in one groove45 oils the tongue so splendidly.
"Not in! Sure to be in later in the day. Got most important business on just now for--"
"Stow it!" The words came not from the white-faced young man, nor from Gilbert, but yet they were perfectly47 audible.
On hearing them, the white-faced young man became silent at once, and Gilbert looked round in amazement48. The muttered groans49 became fainter, a sound as of clinking money was heard, then as of the opening of a door, the farewell of a gruff voice, the departure of a thick pair of boots; then one door slammed, and the inner door, which Gilbert had noticed on his first entrance, opened, and a man stood in the doorway50 with a beckoning51 forefinger52.
A short stout53 man in a brown wig55, with a fat unintelligent face, with heavy pendulous56 cheeks and a great jowl, and a round stupid chin, but with an eye like a beryl--small, bright, and luminous57; a man with just sufficient intelligence to know that he was considerably58 overrated, and that the best chance for him in keeping up the deception59 lay in affectation of deepest mystery, and in saying as little as possible. Mr. Gammidge had been made a hero in certain police-cases during his professional career, by two or three "gentlemen of the press," who had described a few of his peculiarities60--a peculiar61 roll of his head, a sonorous62 manner of taking snuff, a half-crow of triumph in his throat when he thought he saw his way out of a complication--in their various organs. Henceforth these peculiarities were his stock-in-trade, and he relied upon them for all his great personal effects.
When Gilbert Lloyd obeyed the influence of the beckoning forefinger, he passed through the door of communication between the inner and outer rooms, and found himself in an apartment smaller and not less dingy than that he had left. In the middle of it was a large desk, on which were a huge leaden inkstand, a few worn quill-pens, and a very inky blotting-pad. Sentinel on one flank stood a big swollen64 Post-office Directory, two years old; sentinel on the other, a stumpy manuscript volume in a loose binding65, labelled "Cases." The walls blossomed with bills offering large sums as rewards for information to be given respecting persons who had absconded66; and on a disused and paralytic67 green-cloth screen, standing in a helpless attitude close by the desk, was pinned a bill, setting forth63 the Sessions of the Central Criminal Court for the year, with the dates on which Mr. Gammidge was engaged in any of the trials pending68 distinguished69 by a broad cross with a black-lead pencil.
As soon as Gilbert Lloyd had entered the room, Mr. Gammidge closed the door carefully behind him, and placing himself in front of him, indulged him with the peculiar roll of the head, while he took a sonorous pinch of snuff, and said in a thick confidential voice, "Now, captin?"
"I'm no captain," said Lloyd shortly, "and you don't recollect70 me; though you're ready to swear you do, and though I have employed you before this."
Lloyd paused here for a moment; but as Mr. Gammidge merely looked at him helplessly, and muttered under his breath something about "such a many gents," he went on.
"My name is Gilbert Lloyd. I manage Lord Ticehurst's racing71 matters for him; and last year I employed you to look after one of our boys, who we thought was going wrong; do you recollect now?"
"Perfectly," said Mr. Gammidge, brightening. "Boy had been laid hold of by a tout54 from a sporting-paper, who was practisin' on him through his father, given to drink, and his sister, on 'oom the tout was supposed to be sweet."
"Exactly; well, you found that out clearly enough, and got us all the information required. Now I want you again."
"More boys goin' wrong, sir?" asked Mr. Gammidge. "They're the out-and-outest young scamps; they're that precocious72 and knowin'--"
"It's not a boy that I want to know about this time," said Lloyd, checking the flow of his companion's eloquence73; "it's a woman."
"That's more in my way; three-fourths of my business is connected with them. Did you 'appen to take any notice of the young man in that room as you came through? He's the best 'nose' in London. Find out anything. Lor' bless you, that young man have been in more divorce cases than the Serjeant himself. He can hide behind a walking-stick, and see through the pipe of a Chubb's latch-key. There's nothing like him in London."
"Put him on to my business at once, then. Look at this card." Mr. Grammidge produced a large pair of tortoiseshell-rimmed double eye-glasses, and proceeded to make an elaborate investigation74. "You know the name? I thought so. Now, your man must keep account of everyone who goes in here by day or night, so long as she's at home; and when she goes out he must follow her, and, so far as he can, find out who speaks to her, and where. There is a five-pound note to begin with. You understand?"
"You may look upon it as good as done, sir," said Mr. Gammidge, commencing to make a memorandum75 of the number and date of the bank-note in his pocket-book, "and to let you know at the old address?"
"No; when he has anything to tell, drop me a line, and I'll meet him here. Good-day."
The white-faced young man, entering fully7 into his new occupation, speedily deserved the encomiastic remarks which had been lavished76 upon him by his principal, and in a short time Mr. Lloyd was furnished with full information as to the personal appearance of the various visitors at the Bayswater villa77, and of the friends whom Miss Lambert was in the habit of meeting away from her home. In both these categories Gilbert Lloyd found, as he had expected to find, a very accurate representation of Miles Challoner. The information, all expected as it was, irritated and chafed78 him; and he gave up a whole day to considering how he could best put a stop to the ripening79 intimacy80 between Miles and Gertrude, or, at all events, weaken it. Finally, he decided81 on paying a visit to Mrs. Bloxam, and seeing whether she could not be frightened with a suspicion, perfectly undefined, of something horrible and mysterious which would take place if the intimacy were permitted to go on unchecked. Accordingly, upon a day when the white-faced young man had ascertained82 that Miss Lambert would be for some time absent from home, Mr. Lloyd presented himself at the Bayswater villa, and, without sending in his name, followed the servant into the room, where Mrs. Bloxam was seated. At first sight of the man who had dared in former days to invade the sanctity of her sheepfold and carry off one of her pet lambs, the old lady was exceedingly indignant, and her first impulse was to order the intruder to leave the house; but a moment's reflection convinced her that as he yet had the power of being exceedingly dangerous to Gertrude, or, at all events, of causing her the greatest annoyance83, it would be better to temporise. She therefore listened to all Gilbert Lloyd's bland84 assurances that, although there was an unfortunate estrangement85 between his wife and himself, he took the greatest interest in her career, and it was purely86 as a matter of friendship that he had come to warn her, through her ablest and best friend, of the danger she incurred87 in forming a certain acquaintance. So well did Mrs. Bloxam play her listening part, and so earnest was she in her thanks to her informant, that even the rouséturfite was taken in, and went away convinced that he had made his coup39..
A few days afterwards he called again, and this time asked for Miss Lambert. The servant said that Miss Lambert was out. For Mrs. Bloxam: Mrs. Bloxam was out. Gilbert Lloyd then took out a card and handed it to the servant, begging her to give it to her mistress; but the servant, just glancing at it, handed it back, saying she had strict orders, in case the gentleman bearing that name ever called again, to refuse him admittance, and to return his card.
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1
clearance
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| n.净空；许可(证)；清算；清除，清理 | |
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amalgamation
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| n.合并，重组；；汞齐化 | |
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3
obliterated
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| v.除去( obliterate的过去式和过去分词 )；涂去；擦掉；彻底破坏或毁灭 | |
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genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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impecunious
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| adj.不名一文的，贫穷的 | |
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insolvent
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| adj.破产的，无偿还能力的 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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8
withholding
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| 扣缴税款 | |
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unlimited
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| adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的 | |
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10
chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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continental
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| adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的 | |
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needy
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| adj.贫穷的，贫困的，生活艰苦的 | |
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seethed
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| （液体）沸腾( seethe的过去式和过去分词 )； 激动，大怒； 强压怒火； 生闷气(~with sth|~ at sth) | |
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14
vendors
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| n.摊贩( vendor的名词复数 )；小贩；（房屋等的）卖主；卖方 | |
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15
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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16
emaciated
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| adj.衰弱的，消瘦的 | |
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17
infancy
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| n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期 | |
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filth
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| n.肮脏，污物，污秽；淫猥 | |
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19
slough
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| v.蜕皮，脱落，抛弃 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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21
virtuous
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| adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的 | |
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alleys
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| 胡同，小巷( alley的名词复数 )； 小径 | |
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23
potent
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| adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
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26
second-hand
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| adj.用过的，旧的，二手的 | |
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27
trophies
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| n.（为竞赛获胜者颁发的）奖品( trophy的名词复数 )；奖杯；（尤指狩猎或战争中获得的）纪念品；（用于比赛或赛跑名称）奖 | |
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warehouses
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| 仓库，货栈( warehouse的名词复数 ) | |
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29
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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30
lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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33
confidential
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| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
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34
secrecy
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| n.秘密，保密，隐蔽 | |
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35
dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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37
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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38
groaning
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| adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式 | |
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39
coup
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| n.政变；突然而成功的行动 | |
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40
improvised
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| a.即席而作的,即兴的 | |
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41
fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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42
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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43
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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44
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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45
groove
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| n.沟，槽；凹线，（刻出的）线条，习惯 | |
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46
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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47
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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48
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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49
groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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50
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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51
beckoning
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| adj.引诱人的，令人心动的v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的现在分词 ) | |
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52
forefinger
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| n.食指 | |
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54
tout
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| v.推销，招徕；兜售；吹捧，劝诱 | |
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55
wig
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| n.假发 | |
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56
pendulous
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| adj.下垂的；摆动的 | |
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57
luminous
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| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
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58
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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59
deception
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| n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计 | |
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60
peculiarities
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| n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
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61
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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62
sonorous
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| adj.响亮的，回响的；adv.圆润低沉地；感人地；n.感人，堂皇 | |
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63
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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64
swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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binding
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| 有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的 | |
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66
absconded
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| v.（尤指逃避逮捕）潜逃，逃跑( abscond的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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67
paralytic
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| adj. 瘫痪的 n. 瘫痪病人 | |
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68
pending
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| prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的 | |
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69
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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70
recollect
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| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
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71
racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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72
precocious
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| adj.早熟的；较早显出的 | |
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73
eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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74
investigation
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| n.调查，调查研究 | |
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75
memorandum
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| n.备忘录，便笺 | |
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76
lavished
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| v.过分给予，滥施( lavish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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77
villa
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| n.别墅，城郊小屋 | |
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78
chafed
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| v.擦热（尤指皮肤）( chafe的过去式 )；擦痛；发怒；惹怒 | |
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79
ripening
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| v.成熟，使熟( ripen的现在分词 )；熟化；熟成 | |
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80
intimacy
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| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
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81
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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82
ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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83
annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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84
bland
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| adj.淡而无味的，温和的，无刺激性的 | |
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85
estrangement
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| n.疏远，失和，不和 | |
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86
purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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87
incurred
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| [医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式 | |
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